First go at recording in a while - VAmp Pro Symphony X Clip

[AgentOrange]

Hey guys,

 

Id appreciate some feedback on this clip i just made, i guess recording is something that you really have to work on becuase they never seem to come out right for me. This is just a one take dealy, so i realise the playings a little sloppy in places and it is only a midi backing track, but in any case, im curious to hear how it sounds to you guys.

 

I was compelled to try recording again after i got my Ibanez RG7321 for my 20th birthday as i wanted to get some meshuggah down, but i thought id start smaller for now. This is my Jackson SL-1 into the V-Amp Pro direct into my PC and using cool edit to mix the tracks. Its Symphony Xs 'A Fools Paradise', i didnt put the solo in becuase i dont have it tight yet, and theres not much point if its gonna sound like crap recorded anyways!

 

I think the biggest deal here is that i dont have decent monitors, this was built as a gaming PC and has a surround system with satellite speakers, which i know are rubbish for this job, but all i have. It usually makes things sound much darker and more bassy than they really are so on normal speakers it sounds like its being played through an FM Radio

 

Well, enough excuses, here it is...

 

A Fools Paradise

 

*dons flame proof suit*

 

James

[aeonrevolution]

Sounds better than my Flextone 3. Wanna trade?

[Digital Jams]

Great stuff with what you used!! I thought the mix was pretty close, sounds good to me!

[AgentOrange]

Originally posted by aeonrevolution Sounds better than my Flextone 3. Wanna trade?

haha, cheers, i guess its not all bad then! For some reason the line 6 stuff never sat right with me, even the XT. The line6 stuff seems to try hard to replicate the tube feel by putting in a bunch of sag which makes it feel mushy to me, whereas the v-amp sounds digital but in a cool way IMO.

James

[AgentOrange]

Originally posted by Digital Jams Great stuff with what you used!! I thought the mix was pretty close, sounds good to me!

Thanks dude, i thought symphony x would be a good choice since romeos sound is pretty digital anyway, especially since he went to line 6, so even if it came out rubbish, id still have an excuse

I guess ill have a bash at some meshuggah a little later, still with a midi backing track though unfortunatly

James

[Jakem]

Nice clip, James:cool: Sounds good on the levels I'm listening at (had to listen at very low volumes 'cause it's so late)...
I like my Vamp pro very much. It's the only way to practice now that I'm living in apartment. TSL100 is a bit too loud for that:D The clip on my sig is also a vamp pro ---> TSL's clean channel.... One more time; nice clip!

-Jaakko

[flyangus]

Nice playing james, I've not heard Symphony X but this sounds good to me. Try the Herbert for the next clip:D

[AgentOrange]

Originally posted by Jakem Nice clip, James:cool: Sounds good on the levels I'm listening at (had to listen at very low volumes 'cause it's so late)... I like my Vamp pro very much. It's the only way to practice now that I'm living in apartment. TSL100 is a bit too loud for that:D The clip on my sig is also a vamp pro ---> TSL's clean channel.... One more time; nice clip! -Jaakko

cheers for listening, i know what you mean about the volume, especially with my herbert. To be honest, the v-amp gets just as much use, becuase after 11 oclock its a little but unreasonable, and i dot get creative untill at least 2am!

James

[AgentOrange]

Originally posted by flyangus Nice playing james, I've not heard Symphony X but this sounds good to me. Try the Herbert for the next clip:D

 

 

Theyre definately worth a look, kinda like Dream Theater mixed with Yngwie, the riffs are usually a challenge so it makes for good practice material before even considering the insane lead parts.

 

Id love to be able to get the herbert down on tape as i hear it, but every time i do, i end up getting pissed off with it because im not very good at recording and i cant do it justice. Ive thought about getting a better recording soundcard and whatnot, but theres always something else i need to spend my money on instead

 

James

[flyangus]

Hey Jaakko,

I just watched your vids, nice sweeping I need to go practice now:(

[flyangus]

Originally posted by AgentOrange Theyre definately worth a look, kinda like Dream Theater mixed with Yngwie, the riffs are usually a challenge so it makes for good practice material before even considering the insane lead parts. Id love to be able to get the herbert down on tape as i hear it, but every time i do, i end up getting pissed off with it because im not very good at recording and i cant do it justice. Ive thought about getting a better recording soundcard and whatnot, but theres always something else i need to spend my money on instead James

 

 

I think I'll check them out over at Amazon - cheers.

 

How are you finding the Herbert at the moment? Mine seems to sound pretty muffled, I need to run the clarity on 3.30 and the treble on 4.00 with the mid-cut on to get a decent amount of bite:confused: How do you run yours, do you have the clarity (presence) and treble that high?

 

Cheers,

Angus

[AgentOrange]

Originally posted by flyangus I think I'll check them out over at Amazon - cheers. How are you finding the Herbert at the moment? Mine seems to sound pretty muffled, I need to run the clarity on 3.30 and the treble on 4.00 with the mid-cut on to get a decent amount of bite:confused: How do you run yours, do you have the clarity (presence) and treble that high? Cheers, Angus

actually im having the same problem at the moment, i have to run them pretty high with my SD-1 set as a treble boost so i can get a decent amount of attack. I think its the tubes gradually dying becuase i havnt changed them in nearly 2 years now, taking into consideration that i dont play it for long periods because of university. I think im just gonna have to try swapping them out, but ill have to find the cash first.

I usually run mine with the presence on 3 oclock and treble around 2 or 3, the SD-1 adds an immediacy to the notes that i dont get normally Im sure it wasnt always like this though, so i really think its the tubes

James

[flyangus]

Originally posted by AgentOrange actually im having the same problem at the moment, i have to run them pretty high with my SD-1 set as a treble boost so i can get a decent amount of attack. I think its the tubes gradually dying becuase i havnt changed them in nearly 2 years now, taking into consideration that i dont play it for long periods because of university. I think im just gonna have to try swapping them out, but ill have to find the cash first. I usually run mine with the presence on 3 oclock and treble around 2 or 3, the SD-1 adds an immediacy to the notes that i dont get normally Im sure it wasnt always like this though, so i really think its the tubes James

It's interesting we have a similar problem. I spoke to Peter Stapfer today, and played both the VH4 and the Herbert with settings all at 12 oclock and he said the herbert didn't sound right - and that's over the phone!!!!! He thought it might be bad preamp tubes but I swapped 'em and no difference:confused: With pots all at 12 0'clock it sounds like the tone pot has been rolled off on the guitar.

I also doubt its the power tubes because they were replaced about 7-8 months ago and I've not used it much. I wonder if anyone else has this?

Angus

[AgentOrange]

Originally posted by flyangus It's interesting we have a similar problem. I spoke to Peter Stapfer today, and played both the VH4 and the Herbert with settings all at 12 oclock and he said the herbert didn't sound right - and that's over the phone!!!!! He thought it might be bad preamp tubes but I swapped 'em and no difference:confused: With pots all at 12 0'clock it sounds like the tone pot has been rolled off on the guitar. I also doubt its the power tubes because they were replaced about 7-8 months ago and I've not used it much. I wonder if anyone else has this? Angus

 

 

you have a VH4 now aswell? I assume you dont get this problem with that?

 

I think what youre saying about sounding like the tones rolled off is pretty close to what im hearing, though its perhaps not that severe. My main problem at the moment is when im playing with the neck single coil in my soloist. I dont get that fluid feel that i want from it untill i boost the amp with the SD-1 to give it more treble.

 

Come to think of it, when i went to the london guitar show, i was playing the blackmachine guitars through a diezel herbert and it sounded much better than mine. I thought it was becuase he had the frontloaded diezel cab, but now im not so sure.

 

Did peter give you any advice?

 

James

[flyangus]

Maybe not as bad as rolled off 'all' the way:D but certainly about half way. He suggested that if the tubes don't fix it then send it back. I wonder if it's worth posting a new thread for other herbie owners to chime in?

Yes, I've got a VH4:) and no, it doesn't have the same problem! It's not a particularly bright amp but much brighter than the Herbert - Peter said it should be the other way around:(

[AgentOrange]

goddamnit! I knew this wouldnt be an easy fix. Id assumed it was my cabinet for the longest time. Recently, turning up seems to make it go a little loose and not all that nice, plus theres a noise on the clean channel thats louder than the overdrive channels. Come to think of it, its a lot sicker than i thought it was

I think im gonna have to email peter and see what he suggests, but i really dont want to have to send it to him becuase UPS gave it the special treatment last time and i had to send it back again!

James

[flyangus]

I know what you mean about UPS - they f**cked my Herbert when it was sent back after the upgrade.

Actually, your problem sounds like a mild version of what mine was like when it was given the UPS treatment! It turned out to be a damaged variable resistor if I'm not mistaken. I managed to fix it myself, with guidance from Peter.

Do you fancy posting a thread for the other Herbert owners, to see if we're the only ones?

[shreder75]

sounds good dude =)

I'm just impressed that you can play that crap..something I'll never be able to do =) Michael Romeo's not an easy act to follow..I feel sorry for the bass player..lol

anywho, all things considered, the tone sounds pretty good...a little muddy, but you could probably tweak that out and get VERY close to symph x's tone..

kudos!

[AgentOrange]

Originally posted by flyangus I know what you mean about UPS - they f**cked my Herbert when it was sent back after the upgrade. Actually, your problem sounds like a mild version of what mine was like when it was given the UPS treatment! It turned out to be a damaged variable resistor if I'm not mistaken. I managed to fix it myself, with guidance from Peter. Do you fancy posting a thread for the other Herbert owners, to see if we're the only ones?

 

 

hmm, the plot thickens! I find it strange that we both seem to be having the same problem and that we both had our amps damaged by UPS when they were sent off for the upgrade. I just posted this in a new thread, please add anything which ive missed out

 

I also posted it on the diezel forum, but i dont know how often anyone checks that

 

James

[AgentOrange]

Originally posted by shreder75 sounds good dude =) I'm just impressed that you can play that crap..something I'll never be able to do =) Michael Romeo's not an easy act to follow..I feel sorry for the bass player..lol anywho, all things considered, the tone sounds pretty good...a little muddy, but you could probably tweak that out and get VERY close to symph x's tone.. kudos!

 

 

cheers dude, i know what you mean about the muddyness, i didnt do any post processing, so maybe i could take it out like that. When i do my meshuggah clip, ill have to have as little mud as possible so it doesnt sound like ass

 

James

[CyanJaguar]

dude, your playing is f-awesome.

the sound is a tad middy/muddy, but I love the tone hiding behind the recording.

what patch did you use? and was it direct?

[AgentOrange]

Originally posted by CyanJaguar dude, your playing is f-awesome. the sound is a tad middy/muddy, but I love the tone hiding behind the recording. what patch did you use? and was it direct?

 

 

cheers dude, i think im just gonna have to fiddle with the settings for this one.

 

The patch is just something i dialled in, its on Modern Hi-Gain with treble and presence on full, mids around 1:00 and bass on 12:00. I have reverb at about 11:00 and im running it with the compression on around 2:00. Other than that it was direct into my soundcard

 

Thanks again for checking it out

 

James

[Jakem]

Originally posted by flyangus Hey Jaakko, I just watched your vids, nice sweeping I need to go practice now:(

Thanks man:)

-Jaakko

[shreder75]

Originally posted by AgentOrange cheers dude, i know what you mean about the muddyness, i didnt do any post processing, so maybe i could take it out like that. When i do my meshuggah clip, ill have to have as little mud as possible so it doesnt sound like ass James

I think once you do that you'll be able to nail it..you definetly have the 'spirit' of his tone down in that clip....

and the playin' ain't so bad neither

[STEEL KAGE]

I think you did a cracking Job all around James. The tone didnt bother me at all( maybe a little more high end?) but seriously , for what youre doing, it sounded fine. Great playing as well, keep kickin ass little bro!!!

Kage